The Khazarian origin of modern Ashkenazi Jews holds that a powerful Turkic empire called Khazaria, located between the Black and Caspian Seas, converted to Judaism around the 8th century AD. Under King Bulan, the Khazar elite adopted Judaism not from Semitic descent, but to remain neutral between Christian and Muslim powers. After The Khazarian origin of modern Ashkenazi Jews holds that a powerful Turkic empire called Khazaria, located between the Black and Caspian Seas, converted to Judaism aro